FORT BRAGG, 7/13/22 — Gina Rae Bean is technically out on bail while appealing her criminal conviction for leaving the scene of a crash that killed Calum Hunnicutt three years ago, but the county has filed a motion to revoke her probation status, alleging Bean was found to be in possession of a methamphetamine pipe July 2 in Fort Bragg. Bean has been ordered to appear at the Ten Mile Branch of the Mendocino County Courthouse at 9 a.m. Aug. 16.
Officers responding to a report of a reckless driver in a field near Mendocino College found a vehicle parked nearby, and according to Capt. Thomas O’Neal, Bean is believed to have been a passenger in that vehicle rather than the driver. That is an important detail, as court records show a 12-month revocation of Bean’s driver’s license, starting in Dec. 2021.
“I have reviewed the body-worn camera and crime report to confirm that there was no indication that Bean was driving the vehicle,” O’Neal wrote in an email Wednesday afternoon. The officers identified the driver as a white male adult, he added. “This was also confirmed by the statements of both Bean and the driver.”
Bean is on both bail and probation due to the status of her conviction and appeal, so officers searched her belongings and allegedly found a meth pipe with meth residue inside. O’Neal stated via email Wednesday that Bean was booked, cited, and released at the station but not transported to Mendocino County Jail due to the misdemeanor status of the violation alleged. The driver had a valid license, and was allowed to leave with his vehicle, O’Neal said.
“If the defendant is found in violation, it is recommended her probation be revoked .. and she serve her original sentence of 210 days with credit for one day served,” Deputy Probation Officer Mark Duran wrote in court briefs July 11. “Ordinarily, a violation of this nature might not merit a custodial sanction; however, Ms. Bean is currently out of custody on bail pending appeal of her case and has shown very poor judgment. Probation is disappointed by her bad decision making.”
Bean was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter weeks after the crash, but charged four months later with the lesser crime of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. That charge stuck, and Bean was convicted of a felony Oct. 5, 2021, then sentenced Dec. 8. Judge Anne Moorman ordered Bean to surrender Jan. 18, 2022, so the defendant could spend the holidays with family before starting her nine-month sentence.
On January 12, however, defense attorney Mark Kalina filed a motion to reinstate Bean’s bail while his client exercised her constitutional right to appeal the conviction. Court records show Bean’s appeal was filed Jan. 4, 2022, but attorneys did not file an opening brief until May 6, 2022, adding 122 days to the period of time on which Bean has been on bail. Records show Bean is being represented by the First District Appellate Project in Oakland as well as Gregg Aaron Myers with the Appellate Law Firm in Los Angeles.
As usual the County of Mendocino is discriminating against women. Why is Bean’s probation being violated when hard core criminals like Martin Briggs has had about 6-8 violations of state parole in the last six months. Briggs serves a sentence of a few days while Bean is being remanded to custody, parole violated and sent back to serve her entire sentence. Not Fair! Especially since BeAn hot convicted for an “accident” and Briggs crimes over the past five decades are planned. He loves being a criminal. Why is she being sent to jal in the first place. It was an accident. Hello…an accident.
She left the scene, not accidentally!
This is very upsetting tbat this woman is being persecuted over a residual amount oc meth in a pipe. Addiction is an illness. I thought it was decriminalized in California. She’s been through enough. She’s got a daughter, i believe i read somewhere. That she’s a great mother. Why dors she need to be put in jail, why can’t she wear an anklet. How does throwing her into a prison serve society? It doesn’t. Let her live and work in the community, continue to support and care for her child. I don’t see her as a criminal that needs to be jailed to protect our community. They are letting hardened , repeat criminals out of jail by the droves, yet putting this poor woman into prison. What a ridiculous, archaic thing to do. Serves no one well and wastes the taxpayers money. Idiotic! I would really like to know why this woman needs to be sent to prison?